Dana White was on the lookout for a main event to headline the UFC 300 for the better part of two months. One of the front runners for the main event slot was Israel Adesanya, who was supposed to take on the newly crowned champion, Dricus Du Plessis. However, there was a lot of criticism surrounding Israel Adesanya, who was deemed unworthy of a title shot, given that he has lost two of his last five fights. Even Du Plessis believes that Adesanya does not deserve an immediate shot at the title. However, the former champion and arch-rival, Alex Pereira, has a different point of view on this matter.
Pereira recently hosted a UFC 300 Q&A alongside Kayla Harrison and Arman Tsarukyan. During the event, a fan asked Pereira if he believed Adesanya was deserving of an immediate shot at the title. To which Pereira replied saying,
“I think he has put in the work. He has done a lot. And you know, it is really up to him. If he feels like he needs another fight then I would support him. And if he is going straight to the belt then I could support him as well for that.”
Israel Adesanya won the middleweight belt with a brilliant knockout win over Robert Whittaker in October 2019. He then went on to defend the belt on several occasions before losing it to Alex Pereira in November 2022. ‘The Last Style Bender’ got an immediate rematch and secured a brilliant knockout win to regain his title.
However, in the very next fight after that, Adesanya lost to Sean Strickland. While he was not knocked out, Adesanya was completely outclassed and did not look like himself at all in the fight. According to Pereira, Adesanya’s past in the division warrants him another shot at the title. Unfortunately, with the UFC 300 card sorted, Izzy won’t be featuring anymore.
Why is Israel Adesanya not taking part in the UFC 300?
Following his loss against Strickland, Adesanya stated that he would be taking an extended break from the sport. ‘The Last Style Bender’ fought frequently and therefore stated that he needed a break to help his mind and body recover. However, after Dricus Du Plessis won the title, it ignited a spark in Adesanya to return sooner than he had planned. The UFC wanted the two men to headline UFC 300.
View this post on Instagram
Unfortunately, the champion declined. Du Plessis, in a recent interview, stated that he did not accept it as he needed more time to recover from his injuries following UFC 297. The champion also stated that as a champion, he decides when he fights and does not fight according to the challenger’s wishes.
